Spotlight:
ios Mobile app Updates
Transforming the Spotlight iOS experience to bring clarity, speed, and ease to the performer job search journey.
April 2024 | Film & TV
Role: Lead Product Designer, Visual Design Lead
Tools: Figma, FigJam, Confluence, HotJar
Project Overview
Spotlight, part of Talent Systems’ global suite of casting platforms, is the UK’s leading casting directory for actors and performers. While its web platform offered a full suite of tools, the iOS app lagged behind— with limited functionality, inconsistent branding, and missing key features users had been requesting for years.
My mission: modernise the mobile experience to help performers manage their profiles, discover roles, and respond to audition requests seamlessly — wherever they are.
My Role
As the Lead Product Designer for the UK branch, I owned the end-to-end redesign of the Spotlight iOS app — from research and ideation to prototyping, testing, and developer handoff. I partnered closely with global product managers, engineers, and accessibility leads to ensure design alignment, scalability, and compliance across Talent Systems’ ecosystem.
Throughout the build process, I also created and managed Jira tickets, led regular design reviews, and conducted hands-on QA testing to validate functionality, visual consistency, and overall user experience.
Project Goals
The redesign aimed to:
1. Revamping the onboarding flow
The existing onboarding felt generic and disconnected, using stock illustrations that didn’t reflect Spotlight’s brand or purpose.
I improved the onboarding flow by:
Designing a new onboarding sequence using Spotlight’s authentic imagery and brand voice
Enhancing clarity around user benefits and app features
Mirroring the desktop onboarding journey, ensuring visual and experiential consistency
This alignment not only strengthened brand trust but also reduced drop-off rates during onboarding as early data showed a 38% improved completion rate during sign-up and reduced confusion among first-time users.
2. Editing and Updating
Profiles on the Go
Performers often update their profiles before major submissions, yet this capability was limited to desktop — creating a major usability gap for users on the go.
As this was a highly anticipated new feature among Spotlight’s most valuable, subscription-based users, it needed to be designed and executed to a high standard.
Through usability testing and iterative design, I introduced a streamlined, intuitive edit flow that allowed performers to:
Quickly update headshots, credits, and personal info
Preview their live profile instantly
Save drafts and sync changes seamlessly across devices
My ApproacH
Mapped and simplified the complex web flow for mobile
Designed intuitive editing interactions with autosave and preview capabilities
Ran rapid feedback cycles with beta testers (actors and agents) to validate usability
Impact
Within one month of launch, the impact was clear:
3. Managing Audition Tape Requests
Once performers are shortlisted for a role, responding to self-tape and audition requests quickly is critical in such a competitive industry.
Previously, users couldn’t respond to or upload audition tapes via the app — a major limitation. I designed a streamlined Audition Tape Request flow that empowered users to:
Receive and respond to requests instantly via mobile
Upload self-tapes directly from their device
Track submission status in real time
This new feature helped performers act faster, removing a major bottleneck in their casting journey and strengthened Spotlight’s position as an indispensable daily tool.
The new audition tape requests feature Reduced response times for audition submissions by 79%
Outcomes & Impact
This project underscored the importance of designing for real user needs while balancing technical constraints and business goals.
By rethinking key interactions and bridging the gap between desktop and mobile, I successfully achieved the project’s goals — helping Spotlight modernise a legacy experience and better serve a new generation of performers.
